Having a childhood dream of aviation, Chris first became an Aviation Explorer, motivating him to earn his private pilot's license as a teenager. During his four years at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University he earned his commercial, multi-engine certificate with an instrument rating. While experimenting in seaplanes, gliders, and a variety of other personal aircraft, Chris developed a passion for general aviation and shares that passion as he develops aviation training apps and content for Sporty's Pilot Shop.
During flight training, you’ll learn to plan your cross-country flights first by hand and use the E6B each step of the way. You’ll also find it to be a handy companion when studying for the FAA knowledge exam. We’ll use the Sporty’s electronic E6B flight computer in this quiz when calculating flight planning and navigation questions.
As winter sets in, it’s more important than ever to understand how the cold weather will not only affect the aircraft performance but also your preflight and weather planning. Use this quiz to test your cold-weather flying knowledge. The video clip below is from Sporty’s 2025 Learn to Fly Course
The rules for transponder requirements changed in 2020, requiring aircraft to be equipped with ADS-B out transponders in most of the same airspace that previously required a Mode C transponder. Take our latest quiz and test your knowledge of the details of ADS-B rules.
Winds aloft, true course, heading and groundspeed. Can you put all the puzzle pieces together and plan a successful cross-country flight? Use this quiz to test your flight planning knowledge and see if you can get a perfect score. Want to learn more about cross-country flight planning? Check out Sporty’s Learn To Fly Course for more in-depth training […]
Airplane performance can be defined as the capability of an airplane to operate effectively while serving a specific purpose. Among the elements of performance are takeoff and landing distances, rate of climb, ceiling, speed, payload, and fuel economy. Answer these questions and see if you can correctly determine all the factors required for adequate aircraft performance.
An aviation VFR Sectional chart is chock-full of visual reference information that is important for every pilot. Runway lengths, obstacle avoidance, restricted airspace, plus much more all provide bits of data that will keep you informed and safe on every flight. Do you know these charts front and back, or will that data overload leave you short on answers?
Do you know how the human body will react when exposed to the harsh conditions of high-altitude flight?
Class E airspace is often confusing because it’s not clearly depicted on the sectional chart but it’s crucial to understand its boundaries
Check out our latest pilot quiz to test your flying knowledge of airport traffic patterns, landing directions and appropriate techniques for operating around the airport.
As much as it seems sometimes that airplanes fly by magic, it’s important for every pilot to understand at least the basic fundamentals of aerodynamics. These principles dictate not only how the aircraft stays aloft, but what makes it either stable or unstable.
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